nq is a daemonless job orchestrator and POSIX shell task manager that manages asynchronous command execution on Unix systems. It functions as a command line job queue using directories and file-system locks to coordinate background processes across multiple terminal sessions.
The system distinguishes itself by utilizing file-system-based locking to ensure sequential job execution without requiring a resident background daemon. It enables shared queue coordination, allowing different terminal sessions to synchronize work by directing tasks to specific directories.
The project covers background task monitoring and job log management, persisting output to disk for auditing and streaming live progress to the terminal. It includes capabilities for job completion synchronization, the ability to restart previously completed jobs, and integration with terminal multiplexers to decouple execution output from the primary shell.
Configuration is handled through system environment variables to define queue locations and operational behavior.